After defeating Serena Williams during a controversial U.S. Open women’s final, yesterday Naomi Osaka made an appearance with her new trophy at a photo-op in New York. The Haitian-Japanese-American tennis player posed for photos wearing a calf-length white dress with delicate ruffles at the shoulders. The designer? Comme des Garçons: a surprising, unlikely choice for such a momentous event. CDG is known for avant-garde designs that are difficult to wear (unless you’re Rihanna), and designer Rei Kawakubo rarely dresses celebrities for the red carpet. But given Osaka’s heritage, the dress was a nice nod to the tennis player’s Japanese roots, and one of the brand’s more commercially friendly choices.
On Instagram, Osaka thanked Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons CEO Adrian Joffe, and the team at Dover Street Market for their support. Getting the stamp of approval from the elusive Kawakubo is a pretty big deal, so you’ll likely see more unexpected fashion choices from Osaka as her career progresses.
